Opinion
Column

Quit stealing copper cable

A crime that many consider to be a mere inconvenience has more serious implications than we originally thought.

During the recent flood evacuations along Flats Road, Woodlands County officials had trouble contacting one affected family due to a recent cable theft. This had cut off communication with the residence and impeded a necessary evacuation.

Stealing copper cable doesn’t just make the Internet slower or force companies to continuously do repairs. Such a theft can also impact public safety, which is why my patience is running thin with these thieves.

Out of all the different kinds of theft, stealing copper cable might seem rather victimless in comparison, especially if it’s being stolen from an abandoned building or a large corporation that can take a hit better than an individual.

But it isn’t victimless. According to Telus during a presentation to the County in March, 90 per cent of its cable thefts in Alberta occurred in Woodlands County last year. The major hot spot is Flats Road, which once saw 23 thefts in a 13-week period.

Around 7,600 residents have been impacted by these outages, while repairs have overall cost close to $320,000. This is all for copper worth $100.

But again, it’s not just about the shoddy Internet access or the sheer amount of resources wasted on repairs. Public safety is the main concern and the thieves either don’t know the harm they are causing or they just don’t care.

One main reason behind copper cable thefts is the lack of provincial legislation. Many scrap yards in Alberta accept copper wire and give thieves a nice chunk of change in exchange.

The broader social reasons behind these thefts are intertwining and numerous. Rural crime in general is rampant in Alberta, courts are backed up, RCMP response times are lengthy and repeat offenders get a slap on the wrist. The system that protects us is weakening and the motivational factors for committing these property crimes are increasing.

What are some of these motivational factors? Drug addiction is the main one. In order to fuel their addiction, many turn to property theft. Combating the drug problem through social programs and decriminalization are our best bets at this time.

Despite showing signs of improvement, the economy is still recovering. More diversification of the Alberta economy is needed. And yes, a pipeline needs to be built so long as environmental protection is taken into consideration. Some turn to crime in order to deal with hard times. Others turn to drugs, which also leads to crime.

I’m proposing all these solutions, but ultimately, the fault lies with the thieves. It’s true that many of them suffer from drug addiction, but to say that’s the main cause is rather insulting to those who also suffer from drug addiction yet never resort to crime.

Some might ask, who am I to judge? While I may not be perfect, I don’t steal copper cable or impede evacuations during floods. Thieves must repent. We live in an age where nothing is anyone’s fault anymore, where we can point the finger at larger issues or shadowy figures and blame all of life’s problems on them. Meanwhile, our personal integrity degrades until we become infantile and a detriment to society.

The first step towards changing the world is changing yourself. We should all strive towards obeying traffic laws, picking up litter, getting exercise and helping others. Thieves, you should strive towards changing your ways too. Otherwise, it’s off to the pokey. And when you try to get that one phone call after being arrested, don’t be surprised if it doesn’t go through.